Readings: Exodus 17:3-7; Romans 5:1-2,5-8; John 4:5-42
The readings this Sunday focus on Evangelization, the fourth
sign of a dynamic Catholic. Thirst and water, spiritual dehydration and
self-scrutiny, are the metaphors that focus on the central message of this
Sunday. If you are thirsting for spiritual nourishment, there is good news for
you this Sunday. The readings focus on the symbolism of thirst and water,
leading us to self-scrutiny and our need for spiritual nourishment. The
readings also help to connect with the first of three Scrutinies celebrated this
Sunday with those elected for Baptism on the First Sunday of Lent. The
Scrutinies are a time of soul-searching and repentance, during which the
candidates for Baptism and us too seek to uncover all that is weak, defective
or sinful in our lives. They also provide an occasion to strengthen our
positive qualities. The symbolism of thirst and water is very central in all
three readings. In the Exodus story, the Israelites are in the open desert.
They are too thirsty and begin to complain to Moses who is instructed by God to
strike a rock in order to get water for them to drink. If you have ever
experienced dehydration, you know how deadly it can be. Almost 300 people in
the US die annually of dehydration. 2.2 million children die of dehydration
annually in the world. Body drought that causes “brain fog” is the strongest
type of stress and depression. Spiritual dehydration is similarly fatal.
Without spiritual nourishment we simply deteriorate from weakness to weakness
until we die of sin spiritually.
In the Gospel, Jesus is at Jacob's well seated there in the
mid-day sun and he is thirsty. A Samaritan woman arrives to draw water. Jesus
who sees her spiritual dehydration asks the woman for some water to drink, but
his intention is to use water to lead her to discover the best way to live; to
discover her own spiritual thirst; her need for new life in Christ, the water
of life. Jesus knows that she has quite a reputation in her village, having
been married five times and living with a sixth man! In the course of an
interesting dialogue, Jesus thirsts for her conversion, and gradually leads her
to scrutinize herself, but goes further to tell her about her secret life.
Though embarrassed at Jesus’ scrutiny and insight into her private life, she is
led gradually to confess that she knows that the Messiah – the Christ is
coming, and when he comes he will tell us everything. At that point, Jesus
reveals his true identity to her. “I who am speaking to you... I am he”. She is
first surprised and then becomes completely converted and accepts the water of
life that Jesus offers to quench her spiritual thirst. This woman who first
came for a jug of water, now discovers the best way to live. She puts the jug
down and becomes a disciple and an apostle sent to her village where she tells
her people: “Come and see”, come and see the person who showed me the best way
to live! So she goes home not only transformed but also refreshed after
drinking the life-giving water that only Jesus can give. As we celebrate the
first of three Scrutinies with the candidates for Baptism, the readings invite
us too to scrutinize ourselves and so discover our spiritual thirst for the
water of life before we become spiritually dehydrated. The message we take home
this Sunday is threefold: 1) Like the Samaritan woman, this too is our day of
Scrutiny, conversion and change. 2) Like the Samaritan woman we are led to
discover that only Christ, Water of Life satisfies our spiritual thirst. 3) At
the end of the Mass today, we too like the Samaritan woman are sent to invite
others to “Come and see”, to come and see someone who has shown us the best way
to live so that they too may become the best version of themselves. Now, that
is evangelization.
©2016 John S. Mbinda
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